*** Quoting D.e. Bryant from a message to Don Box ***
DB> choices.  My lot is certainly better than my father's and I am taking
DB> steps to achieve what it is that I DESIRE FOR MY LIFE...NOT what other
DB> decide I am entitled to.  You are not black or likely even a minority
DB> and therefore cannot presume to know what you speak [of a black man's
DB> experience]. Yours appear to be the trials of a blue-collar white man.
DB> Your white skin gives the immediate advantage over a latino or black
DB> because you will be spared most of the intangibles of
DB> employer/business-owner bias.  The owner [if white] will likely see
DB> racial kinship in you even if he does not consciously acknowledge it.
DB> If the owner is black, you may still be hired if you have the skills
DB> because a minority business owner must be practical.  Virtually all bi
DB> business in the US is white-dominated so minorities must seek any mean
DB> to a niche.  Don, let's be frank--your white racial heritage ALONE ope
DB> doors that are covertly barred to me.  You will have to work far less
DB> acquire employment than your black or latino equivalent.  Because this
DB> is likely so, you have the emotional approach to life, this attitude y
DB> are callously displaying.  A black or latino will have had many more
DB> doors closed to them--and this creates befuddlement, anger & a bit of
DB> despair.  One must work so much harder to get the basics, to make need
DB> inroads to personal success.  This has been the situation for me.  I
DB> approach interviews strongly and make certain that I do very well in t
DB> job-testing.  I want to make the best impression--and often I am told
DB> how striking I am, how strong and solid my skills are, what good work
DB> references I have.  And then weeks go by with no work--from multiple
DB> agencies.  It does not add up, Don.
Some of us 'WASP's hide our head in the sand on this issue but I dont. Yes, 
it is still going on.  Its not *as* bad, but it's still there.
Let me add my 2 cents worth on this.  When I was in school, we still had 
'tracking'.  Some kids were 'college bound track' and others were 'vocational 
skills' tracked. There was an obvious difference.  My 'college bound track' 
classes were almost exclusively white, and the vo-tech track was a high ratio 
of black people.  This makes no sense.  It continued thru my HS years, 
because once folks figured out this was wrong, it was too late to change the 
lesser training given.
I graduated in 1978 from HS.
Now I hear, the folks arent tracking at all, and that is equally hurting the 
folks in school, because the teachers cant get a relatively level class so 
have to teach to the lowest common denominator, and that is hurting the 
students who *could* do the college track.  Its only advantage is it isnt 
color based anymore.
Smile, my daughter (4YO) is in a montesouri (sp?) school.  Its working well.  
She and her classmates, in a clean easy environment, are soaking up stuff 
that will make them perhaps a bit ahead once they start gradeschool.  The 
smartest one is Justin, who as you probably guessed is black.  Charlotte is 
sometimes a little upset because she is behind him on all things, but older 
than he is.  She's better at sports though so is happy enough for now .  
This is the way it should be.  I dont think Charlotte has encountered the 
word 'prejudiced' yet and certainly wont understand it when she does.  Thats 
the future.  Lets give them all the time to learn reality, and forget the 
silly thoughts our ancestors and parents passed on to us.
As my end coda, let me say I never considered myself predjudiced (just cant 
spell that!) but as I grew in my military career, I found remnants of it.  I 
hope to hell I've wiped any lingering traces of it out of myself, because as 
God is my witness, I *know* it just doesnt make sense to be so.  People are 
people and color has nothing to do with capability.
                                       xxcarol
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